Moats Falls

Moats Falls is truly photo-quality stuff. A massive rock formation sits out in the main flow with a natural rock bridge enabling the local crowd to walk right out to party stage center. Paddling under this rock bridge to run the undercut right side falls route is possible only at low flows when enough clearance exists to duck under the bridge. This bridge is right at the top of a 5 ft tumble with powerful current underneath. Don't let it catch you by surprise unless you love gettin yer face peeled. For those dedicated to stiff creek routes it's possible to get out on the party rock, carry over to a seal launch back into the pool above the gnarly, undercut fandango run down the right. Very few boaters are interested in doing this much above 1000 cfs but hey, it's your head--right?! The far left side tumble down the falls has been done once that I'm aware of, resulting in a separated shoulder. The left-side major slide into a right curler and over a heavy 10-ft drop is now being done by Great Falls DC types with serious hair on their backsides. Missing the line here could be disastrous as the middle of the drop harbors a fat pinning rock 2 ft off the fall. Big air is a necessity wherever you launch or the hole will bleach yer bones. All that leaves us with the easiest route, right over the center of the falls in a 14-ft clean drop. As you enter the easy wave train slide to the drop, look for a roostertail created by a crack in the falls and go right of the rooster. Just to the right makes the launch straight vertical while slipping farther to the right puts the boater in more of a slight slide over the drop. A class-V photo opportunity in a class-III drop. Big fun.